YOUR IDEAL SILHOUETTE

Transcription

1 YOUR IDEAL SILHOUETTE INTERACTIVE TEACHER S GUIDE

2 INTRODUCTION This Teacher s Guide provides information to help you get the most out of Your Ideal Silhouette Interactive. The contents of this guide allows you to prepare your students before using the program, assist them as they navigate through the program, and present follow-up activities to reinforce the program s key learning points. After viewing Your Ideal Silhouette Interactive, users will be able to: identify the specific characteristics of various body types; identify their body type through personal analysis and proportion charts; select, purchase, and wear clothing styles that compliment their specific body type; identify quality articles of clothing based on fabric and construction; and identify aspects of an individual s overall appearance that contribute positively or negatively to her p rojected image. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Upon completion of her own Body Proportion Analysis and the discussion of various body types, the user will be able to match each body type with its associated characteristics as defined in this program. Given the information provided by the Body Proportion Analysis (BPA) software, which is subsequently correlated to a Personal Shopping Guide, the user will be able to identify her body type and identify a flattering outfit for various figure types. Given descriptions of several items of clothing, the user will be able to rank them in order from highest to lowest quality based on fabric and construction. Presented with several descriptions, the user will identify specific aspects of a person s appearance which contribute to her overall polished or unprofessional appearance. EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS This program correlates with the following national, state, and organizational educational standards: National Standards for Family and Consumer Sciences Education Uses strategies to evaluate clothing and accessory purchases (e.g., construction, cost, care) California Home Economics Careers and Technology Standards, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Home Economics Education, and Alabama Home Economics Standards Understands the factors involved in choosing individual and family apparel (e.g., understands the functions of clothing; understands clothing selection to accommodate various ages, lifestyles, special needs groups, and careers; understands the relationship between apparel decisions, peer influence, self-esteem, and personal effectiveness) Understands the relationships between clothing, behavior, and social expectations Understands principles to follow when planning a wardrobe and preparing a clothing budget (e.g., knows available resources, understands the impact of clothing care requirements on overall wardrobe costs) PACE: Program for Acquiring Competence in Entrepreneurship Knows factors that contribute to a professional image (e.g., appearance, speech, writing, etiquette, integrity, ethics) 2 PRODUCT OVERVIEW Most people would like to change something, maybe many things, about their physical appearance. One in three women in the United States is a size 12 or above, totaling more than 62 million women. Armed only with their dress-size, shopping becomes a frustrating experience with time wasted in the dressing room and money wasted on clothes that fit, but are not flattering. Many individuals, both men and women, are searching for concrete ways to regain their confidence and look their best by dressing more successfully. Your Ideal Silhouette Interactive is a self-paced, interactive program designed to provide women with an

3 objective approach to successful dressing. Users learn how to take control of their wardrobe by eliminating poor clothing choices and selecting or creating only those items which maximize positive features and minimize problem areas. Emphasis is placed on how to project a professional, polished and self-confident image. MAIN TOPIC AREAS Topic 1: Body Analysis This section provides information on how to take proper measurements, launches the Body Proportion Analysis (BPA) software, and helps the student understand her body type. The student will obtain a printed document from the BPA software that explains her figure type and provides details regarding recommended clothing selections. Topic 2: Your Wardrobe Closet Using her printout from the BPA software, the student will be ready to assimilate this information with the exploration of clothing styles and features found in "Your Wardrobe Closet." This section features the "Personal Shopping Guide" which shows the user which styles are best suited to her body type and which are best to avoid. The student will transfer data from the printout to the screen. The student will have the opportunity to print her customized "Personal Shopping Guide" at the end of the section. This section also includes "The Slenderizing Line," which addresses how various aspects of women s fashion, such as patterns, textures and line, affect the overall image. Topic 3: Quality Selection and Fit This section explains the differences between various fabrics, patterns, and weaves and gives advice on how to ensure a proper fit. Topic 4: Wardrobe Organization This section discusses wardrobe essentials, the ideal travel wardrobe, effective ways to assess an existing wardrobe, and how to budget for new additions. Topic 5: Pulling it All Together Here the user is asked to consider her image as a whole. A compilation of tips and special details help to summarize and complete the program. VOCABULARY TERMS Basic: A color or style that is so perfect for you it becomes a fundamental anchor to your wardrobe. Chic: The expression of originality and style in your wardrobe. Classic: A timeless style of quality and clean, balanced line. Flattering to everyone, lasting, and always corre c t. Ease: That which allows freedom of movement in a garment. Too little ease looks tight and skimpy; too much looks baggy. Fad: A short-lived accent of fashion, quickly accepted and quickly obsolete. Fashion: The prevailing style. Fashion trend: The tendency toward a future fashion. Full figured: A female weighing 30% more than her ideal weight. Investment dressing: Buying a few quality garments that coordinate well. Line: Decorative design features of a garment. Monochromatic: Tints and shades of one color family. Neutral: Without hue (color), such as white, beige, taupe, camel, tan, gray. Petite: Size range for women to 5 3". Designed with narrow shoulders, shorter waist, and higher armholes. Proportion: The size relationship of one part of the body to another and to the total silhouette. Silhouette: The outline of a body shape and/or a garment. Structural: Following the seams of a garment. Style lines: The distinctive characteristics of a garment that create its shape. 3

4 PRE-PROGRAM DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. How important is your appearance to you? Do you feel that you need to spend more or less time on your appearance? 2. You probably notice that you feel more confident when you are well-dressed. In what ways do you think your appearance might affect how others perceive and treat you? 3. How much of your current wardrobe do you consider "unwearable"? Identify the most common reasons. For example, is the color wrong, the fit too tight or too loose, the style out of date or unflattering, nothing else matches it? 4. When clothes shopping, do you currently feel comfortable and confident with your purchase decisions? Why or why not? 5. Consider your body shape and proportions. Do you understand how different clothing styles fit you, and/or how the design elements and principles inherent to these clothing styles affect how you appear in your clothing choices? POST-PROGRAM DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. How has your perception of your body changed in terms of your ability to project a positive and polished image? Do you feel that you need to spend more or less time on your appearance? 2. What key features distinguish a well-dressed person? Do you feel that any one characteristic is more important than the others? Why or why not? 3. What basic items are lacking in your wardrobe? When you shop for these items, which style(s) and color(s) would achieve the maximum return on your investment? 4. Assess the contents of your closet. Are there items that you really like that just don t look good on you? In what ways might you be able to modify an item, for example a blouse with a round neckline, and make it work to your advantage? 5. Explore how color can add to or detract from your overall image. Which colors compliment your skin tone and general coloring? Refer to the book Color Me Beautiful by Carole Jackson for an in-depth study of color in relation to clothing and make-up. GROUP ACTIVITIES 1. Do a field study at a local mall or retail center to see how appearance affects how others treat you. Divide into small groups of two or three students. Some students should dress well and appear professional; the other students should dress sloppily. Each group should visit two or three different types of retail clothing stores and write a summary describing their experiences. Compare the outcomes and discuss any other factors that may have influenced these experiences. 2. Research and discuss current fashion fads and trends. Which styles might be considered a fad as opposed to a trend? Which figure types are best suited to these styles? How might other figure types incorporate these styles into their wardrobes? 3. Divide into small groups of two or three students. Create a fictitious "ideal outfit" for each member of the group. Using current fashion magazines, compile images of a flattering outfit. For the purposes of this exercise, focus on the style and pattern, since it may be difficult to find colors that coordinate. Write a short summary explaining why the outfit would be ideal for the student s body type and proportions. 4

5 INDIVIDUAL STUDENT PROJECTS 1. Examine your Personal Shopping Guide. Focusing on the items that are superior for you, highlight those that are currently in style and which you would feel comfortable wearing. Go through some current fashion magazines and obtain pictures of each of these styles. 2. To understand your basic wardrobe demands, use the chart below to study how you spend your time. List the total number of hours you spend in a week on each activity. Work School Sports Leisure Hobby Entertainment Other (be specific) TOTAL Since there are a total of 168 hours in a week (24 x7), you must now subtract the number of hours you sleep in an average 7-night total. The remaining hours should equal your total in the chart above and represent a number of various clothing demands, each with specific requirements. Plan your shopping list according to your clothing demands based on activities and the amount of time you spend in each area. Using the chart you have just completed, establish a budget. If 50% of your time is spent at work (or school) then you should spend 50% of your clothing budget for those items. Spend your clothing dollar where you spend your time. 3. The cost of upkeep (cleaning) and the cost per wearing must be considered before making any purchase. Fill in the missing numbers on the chart below. Which item is the best investment? Go to a clothing store and identify several items that you would consider purchasing. Create your own chart to determine the cost per wearing of each. If the item needs to be dry cleaned, after each wearing or periodically, be sure to consider that cost as well. Example: Cost per wearing = Garment cost Total number of wearings X Suit $235 Dressy Dress $125 Slacks $68 A Number of wearings/ month B Number of months worn/ year C Number of years item can be worn X A x B x C Cost per wearing $0.65 5

6 4. Visit a local fabric store and perform the scratch and crush test on various material samples to learn how to differentiate between fabrics that are of high quality and those that are of lesser quality. Note the fiber content and weave of each sample and report your findings. 5. Case Studies Melissa is designing her own prom dress. She s uncertain what kind of neckline and sleeves to put on her dress. She has a very long neck and flat chest. What necklines should Melissa avoid? Katie is interviewing for a receptionist position at an insurance company. Of course, she wants to look her best. She is a short girl with a full bust and large hips. She would like to wear a skirt and blouse combination. What styles of skirt would you recommend Katie wear? Why? Cynthia has just gotten her first job as a Sales Representative for an insurance company. She needs to buy a suit. Cynthia is a Vertical figure type A. Which jackets might you recommend she choose? INTERNET ACTIVITIES Visit various online clothing retailers to compare the ways diff e rent manufacturers determine their sizes. Using the measurements you entered into your Body Proportion Chart, note the size you would wear for pants, blouses, suits, etc. based on each company s guidelines. Are you the same size for every manufacturer? INTERNET RESOURCES Mary Lou Andre s "Dressing Well" Online Polished Professionals Business Etiquette Training Emerging Visions Enterprises (EVE) Contact: Catherine Schuller Gloria Starr Image Works Wonders 6 BOOK RESOURCES Chic Simple Women's Wardrobe: Kim Johnson Gross and Jeff Stone by Rachel Urquhart and Kim Johnson Gross. Knopf, What Should I Wear?: Dressing for Occasions (Chic Simple) by Kim Johnson Gross. Knopf, Attention to Detail: A Woman's Guide to Professional Appearance and Conduct by Clinton T. Greenleaf III. Greenleaf Book Group, New Women's Dress for Success by John T. Molloy. Warner Books, The New Professional Image: From Business Casual to the Ultimate Power Look by Susan Bixler. Adams Media Corporation, Looking Good: A Comprehensive Guide to Wardrobe Planning, Color & Personal Style Development by Nancy Nix-Rice. Palmer Pletsch Pub., The Fine Art of Dressing: Make Yourself a Masterpiece by Dressing for Your Body Type by Margaux Tartarotti. Perigee, Steps to Fashion Freedom: Discover Your Personal Style from the Inside Out by Malcolm Levene. Crown Pub, Color Me Beautiful by Carole Jackson. Ballantine Books, Plus Style, The Plus-Size Guide to Looking Great by Susan Nanfeldt. Plume, 1996.

7 MEDIA RESOURCES Clothing Construction Video Series, by Meridian Education Corporation. Nine videos (10-13 minutes each) focus on basics of clothing construction, from seams to zippers ; Clothing Choices Video Series, by Meridian Education Corporation. Six videos (10-20 minutes each) provide guidance on how to maximize your wardrobe dollar ; Clothing Dollars and Sense, by Meridian Education Corporation. This video program (40 minutes) helps develop the skills needed to make wise decisions when purchasing clothing ; Wardrobe Strategies Video Series, by Judith Rasband. Set of 6 videotapes (about 30 minutes each), Conselle Institute of Image Management 1996, Delmar. Working Wardrobes for Men and Women Video Series. Set of 5 videotapes (20-24 minutes each) and 38- page notebook, Working Wardrobes 1997/98. Reflections on You: Classroom Color Analysis. Multimedia program addressing the topic of complimentary clothing and color choices. Fabric Lab. A re-usable workbook/swatch kit that teaches the basics of yarns and fibers, weaves and knits, dyes, and finishes. Each kit can last several years and includes a workbook and a set of 20 fabric swatches. Produced by Learning Seed. Clothing: An Intelligent Buyer's Guide. This video program (24 minutes) shows how to judge clothing for quality as well as how to spot merchandising gimmicks. Learn how to judge fabrics, garment construction, and how to take clothing for a "test drive." Produced by Learning Seed. Looking Great At Work: From Business Casual To Hygiene video set. A video program (18 minutes) to help your students dress and look their best at work. Produced by Learning Seed. P.O. Box 911 Monmouth Junction, NJ CALL TOLL FREE COPYRIGHT 2002 MERIDIAN EDUCATION CORPORAT I O N 7